Spontaneous expression of thoughts and emotions in words.

Celebrating World Food Day-16th October 2012

During the dinner time I was asking my children about the things that they have done in the school to mark the World Food Day. The answer I got was shocking. They had done nothing in the school. I could not believe this and wanted to reassure myself. I asked whether the principal mentioned in the assembly. The answer was ‘NO’. Well, I was telling my husband, the principal and the teachers could have at least talked about the significance of the day in the assembly. A few seconds would have been enough to create the level of awareness in the children even if the school had not planned for a whole lot of programmes. Or better some relevant subject teachers could have discussed about the day in the class. It would have made a lot of difference in the students’ outlook towards food and the way they waste so much of food.
Anyways, I told the children that 16th October of every year is marked as World Food Day. “The day brings along with it a lot of significance in our lives.” I said to them. Then I shared with them how millions and millions of young children and people in the world are dying due to hunger. I was compelled to explain to them that there are more people dying in the world due to lack of food than from the AIDS, Tuberculosis and many killer diseases combined. Shared with them the stories I read in the newspapers worldwide about how people go to the extent of drinking the cow’s urine to quench their thirst and satiate their hunger. Forced myself to tell them how they complain so much about the food placed in front of them when elsewhere in the world people don’t even have a morsel to eat.
I was pointing to the leftovers in their plate and again forced myself to tell them that people elsewhere would have appreciated these waste so much if they could get their hands on them. Then came the issue of ‘Clean Plate Policy.” I asked if they have ever studied about the ‘Clean Plate Policy’ in the school. Again the answer was a big ‘NO’ from both the kids. I was a bit disappointed that such an important issue which is clearly reflected in the ‘Educating for GNH’ is not taught to the children.
Anyways one would easily argue as to why the parents can’t talk about such things at home. The fact is, children at the primary level believe in their teachers more easily and I as a parent would have really appreciated if a teacher had done the lessons with the students. As a parent we have to do our share of the lot. So I thought I might as well talk to them than wait for their teachers to do the lessons.
So we made a family pact. We made a deal that from this day marking the World Food Day 2012, we will follow ‘Clean Plate Policy.’ All of us in the family (that includes me, my hubby, and my two children) will not waste even a morsel of food here after. My kids promised me that they will never waste food henceforth neither will they complain about the taste of food. This is the least we can do for the sake of all the infants, young children, and the people in the world who are dying of hunger.
I send my prayers to all the children and hunger struck people in the world. May Peace be with them.